


A Christmas Miracle

by ichiwrites



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Christmas fic, Fluff, M/M, more tags will be added, set after the election arc, slow-burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 01:37:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13113177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ichiwrites/pseuds/ichiwrites
Summary: Leorio is stuck in his town for christmas and unable to visit his family.Coincidentally Kurapika is, too.Since Kurapika needs a place to hide, Leorio offers his dorm room and they spend the christmas days together alone, trying to make the best of it.





	A Christmas Miracle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cherryfizzies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherryfizzies/gifts).



> I really tried to write a fluffy fic, so that fizz has something to read this christmas.  
> Sadly, I was way too busy to finish it in time, but I wanted to have at least one chapter up for you to read. I'm sorry... :'(  
> I hope you like it, my soft friend!! Thank you for always blessing me with your art and stories!!!   
> Have a nice holiday <3
> 
> Thank you to Eddy (SailerShanty) for beta-reading this thing and doing correction, I owe you my life.

„You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!“, Leorio cursed.

He should’ve known that this lousy year still hadn’t reached it’s peak. It wasn’t enough that he almost lost one of his closest friends again, accidentally went through a whole political campaign because of it, lost all contact to another important someone and was unable to reach him no matter how often he tried - and thus wasn’t even sure if he was still alive - and on top of that had to sacrifice the rest of the semester with trying to cram as much studying in as possible and almost failed an important exam. No, all of this fuckery still wasn’t enough. The culmination of it all was now this.

„I am deeply sorry, Sir. Our company agreed to raise refunds to all our customers, but we are unable to change anything about the situation.“ The apologetic young woman behind the counter shook her head to empathize her point.

Leorio was two seconds short of exploding. He felt his face getting hot and he swore he actually felt steam leave his ears in a high-pitched whistle.

The hand that was not desperately clutching his travel bag gesticulated wildly back and forth between the wall of glass separating them from the raging nightmare of a Siberian winter storm outside and the scoreboard of the departing flights, that currently all read „cancelled“ as if to mock everyone.

„This is ridiculous! I’ve lived in this place for years and never ever has a snowstorm been so bad that I was TRAPPED and unable to leave the city for 4 whole days! I wanna meet the guy who made that outlandish weather prediction and tell me how this came to be TO MY FACE!“

His finger pointed accusingly at the airport employee, whose mouth corners twitched in mild annoyance and who still tried to maintain her polite, almost pitiful smile.

„And I swear to god, if you even mention climate change…! This isn’t the fucking apocalypse!“ Leorio panted furiously, but also felt the anger in his chest die down more and more as he came to the realization that all he did was letting off steam in the face of a poor employee, who absolutely wasn’t the reason for his misery. With a grinding of his teeth, he apologized begrudgingly and waltzed through the crowded airport to flee the situation. But who could blame him for forgetting his manners, really?! His flight back home over the christmas holidays was cancelled. He would miss the christmas party with his family, who he hasn’t seen since the last big holiday of his country, 6 months ago. So this meant this years’ christmas would have to be spent lonesome in his shitty dorm room, ordering shitty take-out and drinking shitty alcohol to drown the sorrow.  What an appropriate way to end a miserable year. Not even his college friends were in town, they had all been lucky or smart enough to escape before this winter storm disaster.

After awkwardly wandering around the crowded airport for a while, Leorio flopped down onto an empty bench and buried his head in his hands.

For fucks sake!

At least no one in the fucking airport seemed pleased by the situation and as he inspected  the faces of discontent strangers, he felt especially bad for the young woman sobbing into her phone who was sitting across from him, stroking the hair of a young kid sleeping on her lap. Merry fucking christmas! The language she spoke was foreign, so she was probably a tourist, too. Poor thing.

It took him almost half an hour to be calm enough before he was emotionally in the right place to pick up his phone and dial the number of his parents’ house.

„Ah, mama? Yes it’s me. Bad news.“

Over agitated murmuring around him and frequent announcements informing the travelers about the current situation, possible refunds and sleeping possibilities, it was hard to hear the glitching voices of his mother, then sister, then cousin and then, finally, his granny. But after complaining to them and hearing their encouraging words, he felt his anger turn more into true, honest homesickness.

„Yes. I will call you. I love you, too.“ he said to his mother in a shaky voice after she’d made him talk to half the family and then her again and hung up after her third reminder to at least go to a church for mass.

He sighed and stared at the hands clutching the phone in his lap. He felt hot tears prickling in his eyes, but quickly wiped them away. No need to cry in public.

Just after sorting his thoughts and deciding on what to do next - he found it would be a good idea to get some whiskey or schnapps at a nearby bar, maybe find a lonely single woman to flirt with and forget about this entire mess-, a smooth voice murmured something that sounded like a question addressed to him. A familiar voice. But he didn’t consciously register it in the busy muddle around him and also the coat in front of his field of view didn’t seem familiar at all. The voice called out again, clearer this time and it sounded like his name. But that was impossible, since-

„Leorio! It really is you.“

No, it can’t be.

Leorio turned his head up.

The young blond man in front of him seemed very surprised and even though he was the one who had called out for Leorio, his body language indicated fear and restraint, his frame in an odd frozen position and his shoulders pulled up uncomfortably. He looked very different from last time Leorio had seen him. Less warm and friendly, more like someone who wants one to think they’re nothing but a stranger in a crowd. Maybe it was the artificial lighting in the airport that made him look pallid and tired on top of that, but he seemed sickly and as if on the verge of exhaustion.

Nonetheless, seeing him after all this time made Leorio light up in a heartbeat.

„Kurapika!“, he yelled and got up, causing a few heads to turn their way. Kurapika flinched slightly and his eyes switched from left to right, as if the turning heads constituted an immediate danger. For some odd reason that Leorio couldn’t explain to himself, he felt like Kurapika might want to escape any second and so - without thinking - he stepped into Kurapikas personal space and put his arms around him, in something that was anything but a hug. He could feel Kurapikas body freeze and hear his breath hitch and as he held him he couldn’t tell if the anxious thumping he felt between their chests was his heart or Kurapikas.

„Le-Leorio!“, Kurapika breathed as he was squished between the taller mans’ arms.

„You’re a fucking asshole, you know that?“, Leorio grumbled in a low voice. „I thought you were dead.“

After a few silent breaths, he felt Kurapikas shoulders relax and his hands tap his upper arms awkwardly.

Leorio calmed down and breathed in Kurapikas scent involuntarily, instantly feeling familiarity and nostalgia fill his lungs. The scent that held so many past memories, memories of nights together under clear starlight, squished between two other, smaller bodies. Sweat and whatever shampoo Kurapika was using was mixing with his very own brand of smell and Leorio allowed the hug to turn into something softer, less desperate as he indulged in the nostalgic feelings that seemed to overcome him all at once.

He realized they must’ve looked odd to everyone around them, but he felt he didn’t care. It was only when Kurapika coughed awkwardly and pushed at his chest that he let go.

His friend looked up at him, a rose tint on his cheeks.

„I didn’t mean to worry you. I apologize.“, he admitted, averting his gaze shyly.

„I will always worry about you, you fucking reckless idiot!“

Leorio stared angrily at the other man, whose lips twitched slightly as if trying not to smile. It happened so quickly that Leorio almost thought he’d imagined it.

„What are you doing here anyways?“, Leorio asked, as if just realizing where they even were. „How come I meet you here?“

Kurapika groaned and furrowed his eyebrows.

„I was in town for a…  job. Melody was here, too a few days back, actually.“

„And none of you scumbags even contacted me once, of course.“, Leorio scoffed, feeling jealousy and anger rise again.

Kurapika simply held his palm up, signaling Leorio to letting him finish. Leorio held his tongue begrudgingly.

„She left earlier because she was needed at the Lestrade mansion. But I was focused on another issue  _ right under my eyes _ .“

Leorio gulped and was suddenly hyper aware of Kurapika’s suitcase on the ground, which he hadn’t noticed before.

Kurapika followed Leorio’s eyes and nodded, confirming Leorio’s suspicions.

„I rushed to the airport to get out of here as quickly as possible, because  _ they _ aren’t safe in this city. Hell, I don’t think they’re safe in the entire country.“

„Did you steal them?“, Leorio hissed and Kurapika immediately shook his head sternly and held his finger to his mouth.

„I had a deal. But the guy might soon realize that it wasn’t the smartest deal he has done and send someone after me. Besides that, people know my face and they know why I’m here, too. And they might be interested in getting their hands on  _ them _ . So I have to leave immediately.“

„Oh shit.“, Leorio whispered. „And now you’re fucking stuck here?!“

Kurapika sighed. „Unfortunately yes. Busses and trains don’t drive either, I checked. So now I have to hide in a hotel, make myself scarce as much as possible and then book a flight back home in a few days.“

Leorio rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. „…So-Sorry for yelling and bringing attention to us then. I didn’t think.“ 

Kurapika cocked one arched eyebrow mockingly.

„I know, you never do."

„Well, fuck you, too.“

Kurapika rolled his eyes and Leorio caught himself staring as his long eyelashes trembled at the movement.

„Anyways.“, Kurapika carried on. „I have to leave immediately, since we already stand out too much.“ 

Leorio panicked. He just got back in touch with his friend, he didn’t want him to slip through his fingers again right away.

„Hey, what if I….“, he began as Kurapika bent down to get his suitcase.

„Whatever you want to say, I’ll have to refuse. I don’t want to get you involved.“

Kurapika huffed as he got back up, giving Leorio a stern look.

Leorio grumbled, agitated. „But I ….I could help you! To get out of here without attracting attention and also move you across the city. I know where the mafia frequents and where it’s safe. I also happen to know a place where nobody would pay attention to you!“

Kurapika’s eyes, which had narrowed more and more as Leorio was explaining himself, got a curious gleam.

„And where is that supposed secret hideout you are offering me?“

Leorio grinned. „Easy! In my dorm room!“

Kurapikas eyebrow twitched. „Denied.“

„Wait, you didn’t let me finish!“

„Leorio. I appreciate the thought, but this isn’t going to work. You can’t trick me into spending more time with you in a situation like this.“

Leorio could feel his cheeks getting warm. „I AM! NOT! TRYING TO TRICK YOU INTO SPENDING TIME WITH ME!“, he hissed. „Who do you think I am?“

„Oh, I don’t know. Just a guy who almost made us lose the Hunter Exam because he wanted to touch some boobs.“, Kurapika shot back, but there was no true maliciousness in the tone of his voice. He seemed more amused than anything.

„You!!!! That was so long ago! Are you still holding me responsible for a little hormonal outburst from a teenager?“, Leorio gesticulated wildly and hoped the hot feeling in his cheeks would disappear soon.

„Well, then elaborate.“, Kurapika demanded. „Quickly.“

„Okay so!“, Leorio got closer and whispered. „My dorm has an amazing safety system. There’s a guard at the door and nobody who isn’t registered as a guest or a student can enter. If I register you as my guest, you’ll be able to move in and out as you please without a problem. This is only possible for a short amount of time and over special holiday seasons, which we currently have.  On top of that I have a room for myself, so there’s no other people who could disturb us or blow your cover. The dorm is right on the campus, too. There won’t be many people, but you wouldn’t stand out either way. You look like a normal student. And since there’s security on campus to prevent assaults and robbery at night, mafia and other criminals don’t frequent there. Even if they would, why? What’s so interesting about college campus for a mobster? Not much. You won’t have to use your credit card to book a room, you’re not in an area where you’re expected to be, you’ll be able to move around freely and there’s also a library. You could stay there and read when you’re bored.“

Kurapika hummed at that and crossed his arms. Leorio smiled to himself.

„Now, to leave this place and move around town…. easy!“

He clapped his hands together and then moved to pull at his scarf. He handed the tartan-patterned cloth to Kurapika, who just stared at it in wonder.

„Put this around your head. Don’t look at me like that, just do it.“

Kurapika obeyed and Leorio tucked at the cloth until it covered most of Kurapikas hair.

„Like this, you could be anyone. And if we pose as a couple, we’ll blend in more. We could just ride the train like normal people. No cabs! Cab drivers could easily be linked to the mafia, giving out information for some extra cash. On top of that I don’t even know if any cars can drive in this storm. We’re lucky that there’s a subway station at my campus. So, what do you think?“

Kurapikas mouth was hanging open slightly, as if he was in awe. He quickly cleared his throat.

„And you just came up with all of that?“

Leorio shrugged. „Pretty much, yeah.“

Kurapikas expression was sceptical. „…..it sounds reasonable.“

Leorio felt his heart leap into his throat. „So…. is that a yes?“

Kurapika crossed his arms again. „I have to be honest, I don’t think there’s a better alternative. If I choose an expensive hotel, there might be too many eyes on me. If I choose a cheap motel, the security might be so bad that I wouldn’t be able to sleep at all…“

Leorio examined Kurapikas face. The bags under his eyes were frightening, he couldn’t imagine Kurapika not getting any sleep for four days without killing himself.

„You’ll get plenty of sleep in my place. And trust me, you need it. You look like shit.“

Kurapika glared at him, but since he was so much smaller than Leorio, it didn’t look menacing at all and more like a little puppy growling at a tree. Leorio shrugged, but had to hold back a crooked smile.

„I’m aware, thank you.“

„I’m just worried about you is all.“

Kurapika buried his face in his hand. „Well… looks like you won.“, he sighed and involuntarily rubbed his tired eyes. „Tell me where we need to go.“

Leorio cheered internally.

„First of all, hook arms with me, so that we look like we’re together.“

He offered his arm, Kurapika hooked his around it and rested his hand on Leorio’s bicep with a good amount of hesistance.

„Now we just need to find the right exist.“


End file.
